Just Mets

The Mets took their first series from the Washington Nationals since August 30-September 1, 2013. Since 2012, the Nationals have dominated the Mets, going 42-17 over that span.

But this week, the Mets overcame a tall task, beating both Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg to take the first series of the year, and possibly set the tone for them as they look to be serious contenders for the first time since 2008.

Here’s a look at the series statistically:

• The Mets outscored the Nationals 10-6 in the three games.
• Six of the ten runs the Mets scored in this series were unearned; the Nationals committed three errors in the three games, all of which were made by Ian Desmond.
• The Mets went 7-for-20 with runners in scoring position, the Nationals 3-for-19.
• The Mets bullpen allowed three runs in eight innings over the three games, whereas the Nationals allowed no runs in eight innings.
• Mets starting pitching allowed only two earned runs in 18 innings in this series, walking only four batters with 23 strikeouts.
• Each team drew only seven walks in 27 innings this week – Curtis Granderson had four of the club’s seven free passes.
• Travis d’Arnaud was the offensive star of the series, driving in four runs on five hits.
• David Wright had three hits in the series, two of which were to right field and the other to center field.
• Buddy Carlyle earned the first save of his career on Monday at age-37.
• From the 1-2 spots in the order Wright and Granderson went a combined 4-for-23 with four strikeouts, four walks and no extra-base hits over the three games.
• The Mets went 31-22 during day games in 2014, and are already 2-0 this season under the sun.
• The Mets won their first rubber game of the season after going 11-8 in such games last year.

Thank you, Ian Desmond:

The Mets scored six unearned runs in this series thanks to two different errors. He dropped a popup on Monday which resulted in three unearned runs, and he botched a routine inning-ending double play ball in the third inning on Thursday which ultimately resulted in three more.

The Mets actually scored four runs in that frame on Thursday, all thanks to Desmond’s misplay. Thursday’s win – and potentially the entire series – look a lot different if Desmond hadn’t been so sloppy.

Pitching, pitching, pitching:

The ERA combined in this series was 3.33. The Mets bullpen sprung a leak late on Thursday’s game, so it could’ve been even better than that. But it was expected the pitching in this series would be stingy overall, and it lived up to that billing in every way.

Executing the little things:

Outside of Jacob deGrom’s failed sacrifice bunt attempt in the second inning on Wednesday, the Mets simply executed better than the Nationals this week, and that’s what these games are going to be about all year long. That was the case last year as well, the Mets epically failed in that department, and their 4-15 record against Washington was a reflection of that. It’s not usually going to be a slugfest between these two clubs – the pitching is just too good on both sides. So, as I’ve said all week, it’s going to be about those bunts, turning double plays, and minimizing the mental mistakes for both teams.

In the Nationals case, sure they didn’t hit with runners in scoring position, but they essentially matched the Mets pound-for-pound on the mound, the difference being they (or Desmond really) were sloppy. For the most part the Mets were not. And, that sloppiness cost Washington two games to a team they don’t often lose to.